French and New Zealand leaders hold talks in Paris

New Zealand – Meeting between M. François Hollande, President of the Republic, and the Prime Minister of New Zealand – Communiqué issued by the Presidency of the Republic

Paris, 14 July 2016

The French President hosted a meeting with Mr John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand. A hundred years after the Battle of the Somme, he paid tribute to the memory of the thousands of New Zealand soldiers who died for Europe’s freedom during the First World War. He welcomed the participation of New Zealand troops in the 14 July parade alongside Australian and French troops.

With our two countries celebrating the 70th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, and with New Zealand being a member of the United Nations Security Council, the Head of State noted France and New Zealand’s similar views on international crises and welcomed our countries’ shared commitment to the fight against Islamist terrorism, particularly against Daesh [so-called ISIL] in Iraq.

He expressed his desire to continue developing bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of trade, investment and defence cooperation. He also spoke of the growing integration of French territorial units in the Pacific into their regional environment and the need to step up cooperation in the fight against natural disasters and climate change, in the framework of the Paris Agreement’s implementation.

Finally, the President expressed his hope that Brexit will have no consequences on closer ties between New Zealand and the European Union, particularly at economic and commercial level./.